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TRANSCRIPT
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The benefits of training and knowledge building
In D
epth
A year of studiesThe impact of reporting and analysis
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
For OHIM and the EU Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights 2015 has been a year of studies Over the past twelve months OHIM acting through the Observatory has rolled out a series of reports which have added to and informed political and public debate
The Quantification of Infringements series has put the spotlight on the staggering cost of IPR infringements in three key sectors so far cosmetics clothing footwear and accessories and sporting goods The reports reveal that all three sectors lose a combined euro315 billion euro per year due to counterfeiting
This month another report this time on toys and games has been launched at an event in Spain The launch of the report is particularly timely coming as it does in the run-up to Christmas
Over the past year the reports have featured in
approximately 600 European and global media outlets ndash on radio television print and online They have also entered the media discourse regularly being quoted when follow up news stories on counterfeiting are done sometimes months after their launch
But headlines are only one part of the story Reports like the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the European Union released in April show the depth and breadth of counterfeiting across the EU and its links with organised crime
The first major report released by OHIM through the Observatory was of course the ldquoIntellectual Property Rights Intensive Industries contribution to economic performance and employment in the EUrdquo report released in September 2013 in partnership with the EPO
Its main figures ndash that one in three jobs in the EU are supported by IPR-intensive industries which in turn
01
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
contribute 39 of the EUrsquos GDP - have well and truly entered the debate on the value of IP as a driver of economic growth
In June 2015 OHIM released a companion report to that first study this time focusing on firm performance and revealing that companies that own IP rights perform better than those that do not This reporting work builds on previous analysis and helps build a complete picture of IP as it is used at economic level in the EU
Late in 2015 the IP in Education report was released It was something different for OHIM in that it looked deeply into how IP is taught in schools both inside and outside the EU It carried out a full analysis of IP curricula across the schools system at national and at regional levels to get an accurate snapshot of not just the content of IP-related material on the various classroom courses but also under what broad heading it was taught
The reports are also providing valuable input to policy makers at EU level The vice-chair of the Legal Affairs Committee in the European Parliament Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE FR) underlines that legislators need reliable data ldquoItrsquos very important that when we come to legislate on a certain issue that we have
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
02
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
good informationrdquo he stresses ldquoand the Observatory from that point of view is a marvellous source of this information ndash of studies and notably of opinion-based reporting be that of consumers or of economic actorsrdquo
For MEP Julia Reda (GreenEFA DE) the Observatoryrsquos independence is key ldquoI think it is important that there are organisations that bring independent evidence to policy makersrdquo she points out ldquobecause we are always bombarded with opinions on what the law should be and what opinions are Really to have the full picture we need to get everybody around the table and to get the perspective of civil society as well and also to get an academic view of these questions I think that here OHIM is playing an important rolerdquo
2016 will see further study launches from OHIM The Quantification of Infringement series will continue with other sectors known to be vulnerable to counterfeiting analysed Also due to be released
is a report prepared in conjunction with the OECD to estimate the value of counterfeit goods in international trade reports into infringements in the music industry voluntary collaboration practices infringing business models and other studies
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
03
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoOur office participates in the Observatory meetings as a representative of the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GAC) Our participation in this network is highly relevant for us in that it give us the possibility of having up to date information which we disseminate between all the Portuguese enforcement bodies For our office the Observatory network is an amazing platform for cooperation between representatives from national authorities and also stakeholders allowing exchange and expertise on best practices In fact not only in the public sector meetings but also in the working groups in which Portugal takes part it is possible to have access to the best practices in this field which brings added value to our own activities and practicesrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
04
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoEvery year the Anti-Counterfeiting group organises technical and high level meetings with the purpose to analyse the activities developed during the previous year and also to propose activities that will be organized in the following months In these meetings information shared by the Observatory is discussed and the GACrsquos annual action plan integrates this information adapted to reflect our national priorities For instance the IP Perception Study helped us to understand that the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group activities should also focus on younger people As a result our office launched some activities specifically targeted to youngsters namely the creation of a childrenrsquos card game totally personalized with questionsanswers related to IP counterfeiting and piracyrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
05
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
Both inside and outside France the Observatoryrsquos work and studies is proving its use Anne-Catherine Milleron the intellectual property attacheacute for Korea Japan and Taiwan at the French Embassy in Korea highlights that ldquofirstly they allow me to understand the counterfeit process and its background But the studies also show the situation in Europe to our partners from other countries and sometimes serve as models for other studiesrdquo
Within France the Union des Fabricants (Unifab) is working with Observatory data too ldquoUnifab is very much involved in awareness-raising among consumersrdquo the associationrsquos general manager Delphine Safarti-Sobreira explains ldquoLast January to informing college students about the positive effects of IP and about the consequences of counterfeiting especially on the internet we reached out to 14 classes with practical information and advice
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
06
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
For OHIM and the EU Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights 2015 has been a year of studies Over the past twelve months OHIM acting through the Observatory has rolled out a series of reports which have added to and informed political and public debate
The Quantification of Infringements series has put the spotlight on the staggering cost of IPR infringements in three key sectors so far cosmetics clothing footwear and accessories and sporting goods The reports reveal that all three sectors lose a combined euro315 billion euro per year due to counterfeiting
This month another report this time on toys and games has been launched at an event in Spain The launch of the report is particularly timely coming as it does in the run-up to Christmas
Over the past year the reports have featured in
approximately 600 European and global media outlets ndash on radio television print and online They have also entered the media discourse regularly being quoted when follow up news stories on counterfeiting are done sometimes months after their launch
But headlines are only one part of the story Reports like the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the European Union released in April show the depth and breadth of counterfeiting across the EU and its links with organised crime
The first major report released by OHIM through the Observatory was of course the ldquoIntellectual Property Rights Intensive Industries contribution to economic performance and employment in the EUrdquo report released in September 2013 in partnership with the EPO
Its main figures ndash that one in three jobs in the EU are supported by IPR-intensive industries which in turn
01
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
Navigation
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
contribute 39 of the EUrsquos GDP - have well and truly entered the debate on the value of IP as a driver of economic growth
In June 2015 OHIM released a companion report to that first study this time focusing on firm performance and revealing that companies that own IP rights perform better than those that do not This reporting work builds on previous analysis and helps build a complete picture of IP as it is used at economic level in the EU
Late in 2015 the IP in Education report was released It was something different for OHIM in that it looked deeply into how IP is taught in schools both inside and outside the EU It carried out a full analysis of IP curricula across the schools system at national and at regional levels to get an accurate snapshot of not just the content of IP-related material on the various classroom courses but also under what broad heading it was taught
The reports are also providing valuable input to policy makers at EU level The vice-chair of the Legal Affairs Committee in the European Parliament Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE FR) underlines that legislators need reliable data ldquoItrsquos very important that when we come to legislate on a certain issue that we have
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
02
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
good informationrdquo he stresses ldquoand the Observatory from that point of view is a marvellous source of this information ndash of studies and notably of opinion-based reporting be that of consumers or of economic actorsrdquo
For MEP Julia Reda (GreenEFA DE) the Observatoryrsquos independence is key ldquoI think it is important that there are organisations that bring independent evidence to policy makersrdquo she points out ldquobecause we are always bombarded with opinions on what the law should be and what opinions are Really to have the full picture we need to get everybody around the table and to get the perspective of civil society as well and also to get an academic view of these questions I think that here OHIM is playing an important rolerdquo
2016 will see further study launches from OHIM The Quantification of Infringement series will continue with other sectors known to be vulnerable to counterfeiting analysed Also due to be released
is a report prepared in conjunction with the OECD to estimate the value of counterfeit goods in international trade reports into infringements in the music industry voluntary collaboration practices infringing business models and other studies
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
03
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoOur office participates in the Observatory meetings as a representative of the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GAC) Our participation in this network is highly relevant for us in that it give us the possibility of having up to date information which we disseminate between all the Portuguese enforcement bodies For our office the Observatory network is an amazing platform for cooperation between representatives from national authorities and also stakeholders allowing exchange and expertise on best practices In fact not only in the public sector meetings but also in the working groups in which Portugal takes part it is possible to have access to the best practices in this field which brings added value to our own activities and practicesrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
04
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoEvery year the Anti-Counterfeiting group organises technical and high level meetings with the purpose to analyse the activities developed during the previous year and also to propose activities that will be organized in the following months In these meetings information shared by the Observatory is discussed and the GACrsquos annual action plan integrates this information adapted to reflect our national priorities For instance the IP Perception Study helped us to understand that the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group activities should also focus on younger people As a result our office launched some activities specifically targeted to youngsters namely the creation of a childrenrsquos card game totally personalized with questionsanswers related to IP counterfeiting and piracyrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
05
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December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
Both inside and outside France the Observatoryrsquos work and studies is proving its use Anne-Catherine Milleron the intellectual property attacheacute for Korea Japan and Taiwan at the French Embassy in Korea highlights that ldquofirstly they allow me to understand the counterfeit process and its background But the studies also show the situation in Europe to our partners from other countries and sometimes serve as models for other studiesrdquo
Within France the Union des Fabricants (Unifab) is working with Observatory data too ldquoUnifab is very much involved in awareness-raising among consumersrdquo the associationrsquos general manager Delphine Safarti-Sobreira explains ldquoLast January to informing college students about the positive effects of IP and about the consequences of counterfeiting especially on the internet we reached out to 14 classes with practical information and advice
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
06
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
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December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
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December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
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December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
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IP and Enforcement newsNews
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
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Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
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December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
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December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
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December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
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December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
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December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
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December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
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December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
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December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
contribute 39 of the EUrsquos GDP - have well and truly entered the debate on the value of IP as a driver of economic growth
In June 2015 OHIM released a companion report to that first study this time focusing on firm performance and revealing that companies that own IP rights perform better than those that do not This reporting work builds on previous analysis and helps build a complete picture of IP as it is used at economic level in the EU
Late in 2015 the IP in Education report was released It was something different for OHIM in that it looked deeply into how IP is taught in schools both inside and outside the EU It carried out a full analysis of IP curricula across the schools system at national and at regional levels to get an accurate snapshot of not just the content of IP-related material on the various classroom courses but also under what broad heading it was taught
The reports are also providing valuable input to policy makers at EU level The vice-chair of the Legal Affairs Committee in the European Parliament Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE FR) underlines that legislators need reliable data ldquoItrsquos very important that when we come to legislate on a certain issue that we have
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
02
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December
2015
good informationrdquo he stresses ldquoand the Observatory from that point of view is a marvellous source of this information ndash of studies and notably of opinion-based reporting be that of consumers or of economic actorsrdquo
For MEP Julia Reda (GreenEFA DE) the Observatoryrsquos independence is key ldquoI think it is important that there are organisations that bring independent evidence to policy makersrdquo she points out ldquobecause we are always bombarded with opinions on what the law should be and what opinions are Really to have the full picture we need to get everybody around the table and to get the perspective of civil society as well and also to get an academic view of these questions I think that here OHIM is playing an important rolerdquo
2016 will see further study launches from OHIM The Quantification of Infringement series will continue with other sectors known to be vulnerable to counterfeiting analysed Also due to be released
is a report prepared in conjunction with the OECD to estimate the value of counterfeit goods in international trade reports into infringements in the music industry voluntary collaboration practices infringing business models and other studies
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
03
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoOur office participates in the Observatory meetings as a representative of the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GAC) Our participation in this network is highly relevant for us in that it give us the possibility of having up to date information which we disseminate between all the Portuguese enforcement bodies For our office the Observatory network is an amazing platform for cooperation between representatives from national authorities and also stakeholders allowing exchange and expertise on best practices In fact not only in the public sector meetings but also in the working groups in which Portugal takes part it is possible to have access to the best practices in this field which brings added value to our own activities and practicesrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
04
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoEvery year the Anti-Counterfeiting group organises technical and high level meetings with the purpose to analyse the activities developed during the previous year and also to propose activities that will be organized in the following months In these meetings information shared by the Observatory is discussed and the GACrsquos annual action plan integrates this information adapted to reflect our national priorities For instance the IP Perception Study helped us to understand that the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group activities should also focus on younger people As a result our office launched some activities specifically targeted to youngsters namely the creation of a childrenrsquos card game totally personalized with questionsanswers related to IP counterfeiting and piracyrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
05
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
Both inside and outside France the Observatoryrsquos work and studies is proving its use Anne-Catherine Milleron the intellectual property attacheacute for Korea Japan and Taiwan at the French Embassy in Korea highlights that ldquofirstly they allow me to understand the counterfeit process and its background But the studies also show the situation in Europe to our partners from other countries and sometimes serve as models for other studiesrdquo
Within France the Union des Fabricants (Unifab) is working with Observatory data too ldquoUnifab is very much involved in awareness-raising among consumersrdquo the associationrsquos general manager Delphine Safarti-Sobreira explains ldquoLast January to informing college students about the positive effects of IP and about the consequences of counterfeiting especially on the internet we reached out to 14 classes with practical information and advice
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
06
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
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Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
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Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
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A year of studiesCover Story
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
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December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
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Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
good informationrdquo he stresses ldquoand the Observatory from that point of view is a marvellous source of this information ndash of studies and notably of opinion-based reporting be that of consumers or of economic actorsrdquo
For MEP Julia Reda (GreenEFA DE) the Observatoryrsquos independence is key ldquoI think it is important that there are organisations that bring independent evidence to policy makersrdquo she points out ldquobecause we are always bombarded with opinions on what the law should be and what opinions are Really to have the full picture we need to get everybody around the table and to get the perspective of civil society as well and also to get an academic view of these questions I think that here OHIM is playing an important rolerdquo
2016 will see further study launches from OHIM The Quantification of Infringement series will continue with other sectors known to be vulnerable to counterfeiting analysed Also due to be released
is a report prepared in conjunction with the OECD to estimate the value of counterfeit goods in international trade reports into infringements in the music industry voluntary collaboration practices infringing business models and other studies
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
03
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoOur office participates in the Observatory meetings as a representative of the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GAC) Our participation in this network is highly relevant for us in that it give us the possibility of having up to date information which we disseminate between all the Portuguese enforcement bodies For our office the Observatory network is an amazing platform for cooperation between representatives from national authorities and also stakeholders allowing exchange and expertise on best practices In fact not only in the public sector meetings but also in the working groups in which Portugal takes part it is possible to have access to the best practices in this field which brings added value to our own activities and practicesrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
04
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoEvery year the Anti-Counterfeiting group organises technical and high level meetings with the purpose to analyse the activities developed during the previous year and also to propose activities that will be organized in the following months In these meetings information shared by the Observatory is discussed and the GACrsquos annual action plan integrates this information adapted to reflect our national priorities For instance the IP Perception Study helped us to understand that the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group activities should also focus on younger people As a result our office launched some activities specifically targeted to youngsters namely the creation of a childrenrsquos card game totally personalized with questionsanswers related to IP counterfeiting and piracyrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
05
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
Both inside and outside France the Observatoryrsquos work and studies is proving its use Anne-Catherine Milleron the intellectual property attacheacute for Korea Japan and Taiwan at the French Embassy in Korea highlights that ldquofirstly they allow me to understand the counterfeit process and its background But the studies also show the situation in Europe to our partners from other countries and sometimes serve as models for other studiesrdquo
Within France the Union des Fabricants (Unifab) is working with Observatory data too ldquoUnifab is very much involved in awareness-raising among consumersrdquo the associationrsquos general manager Delphine Safarti-Sobreira explains ldquoLast January to informing college students about the positive effects of IP and about the consequences of counterfeiting especially on the internet we reached out to 14 classes with practical information and advice
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
06
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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IP and Enforcement newsNews
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
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Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoOur office participates in the Observatory meetings as a representative of the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GAC) Our participation in this network is highly relevant for us in that it give us the possibility of having up to date information which we disseminate between all the Portuguese enforcement bodies For our office the Observatory network is an amazing platform for cooperation between representatives from national authorities and also stakeholders allowing exchange and expertise on best practices In fact not only in the public sector meetings but also in the working groups in which Portugal takes part it is possible to have access to the best practices in this field which brings added value to our own activities and practicesrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
04
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoEvery year the Anti-Counterfeiting group organises technical and high level meetings with the purpose to analyse the activities developed during the previous year and also to propose activities that will be organized in the following months In these meetings information shared by the Observatory is discussed and the GACrsquos annual action plan integrates this information adapted to reflect our national priorities For instance the IP Perception Study helped us to understand that the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group activities should also focus on younger people As a result our office launched some activities specifically targeted to youngsters namely the creation of a childrenrsquos card game totally personalized with questionsanswers related to IP counterfeiting and piracyrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
05
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
Both inside and outside France the Observatoryrsquos work and studies is proving its use Anne-Catherine Milleron the intellectual property attacheacute for Korea Japan and Taiwan at the French Embassy in Korea highlights that ldquofirstly they allow me to understand the counterfeit process and its background But the studies also show the situation in Europe to our partners from other countries and sometimes serve as models for other studiesrdquo
Within France the Union des Fabricants (Unifab) is working with Observatory data too ldquoUnifab is very much involved in awareness-raising among consumersrdquo the associationrsquos general manager Delphine Safarti-Sobreira explains ldquoLast January to informing college students about the positive effects of IP and about the consequences of counterfeiting especially on the internet we reached out to 14 classes with practical information and advice
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
06
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study Portugal and the Observatory
Leonor Trindade President Portuguese Intellectual Property Office (INPI)
ldquoEvery year the Anti-Counterfeiting group organises technical and high level meetings with the purpose to analyse the activities developed during the previous year and also to propose activities that will be organized in the following months In these meetings information shared by the Observatory is discussed and the GACrsquos annual action plan integrates this information adapted to reflect our national priorities For instance the IP Perception Study helped us to understand that the Portuguese Anti-Counterfeiting Group activities should also focus on younger people As a result our office launched some activities specifically targeted to youngsters namely the creation of a childrenrsquos card game totally personalized with questionsanswers related to IP counterfeiting and piracyrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
05
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
Both inside and outside France the Observatoryrsquos work and studies is proving its use Anne-Catherine Milleron the intellectual property attacheacute for Korea Japan and Taiwan at the French Embassy in Korea highlights that ldquofirstly they allow me to understand the counterfeit process and its background But the studies also show the situation in Europe to our partners from other countries and sometimes serve as models for other studiesrdquo
Within France the Union des Fabricants (Unifab) is working with Observatory data too ldquoUnifab is very much involved in awareness-raising among consumersrdquo the associationrsquos general manager Delphine Safarti-Sobreira explains ldquoLast January to informing college students about the positive effects of IP and about the consequences of counterfeiting especially on the internet we reached out to 14 classes with practical information and advice
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
06
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
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The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
Both inside and outside France the Observatoryrsquos work and studies is proving its use Anne-Catherine Milleron the intellectual property attacheacute for Korea Japan and Taiwan at the French Embassy in Korea highlights that ldquofirstly they allow me to understand the counterfeit process and its background But the studies also show the situation in Europe to our partners from other countries and sometimes serve as models for other studiesrdquo
Within France the Union des Fabricants (Unifab) is working with Observatory data too ldquoUnifab is very much involved in awareness-raising among consumersrdquo the associationrsquos general manager Delphine Safarti-Sobreira explains ldquoLast January to informing college students about the positive effects of IP and about the consequences of counterfeiting especially on the internet we reached out to 14 classes with practical information and advice
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
06
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Case study France and the Observatory
The students were very receptive to the positive value of IP and very quickly understood that it brought far more to people than it took away The idea was to build up their reflexes to avoid the traps set by counterfeiters and to encourage them to adopt an attitude of responsible consumption The results of this exercise have been more than convincing around 80 of those we reached out to understand the importance of and the necessity of preserving intellectual property rights Encouraged by this success and further bolstered by the results of the studies undertaken by OHIM through the Observatory Unifab is currently in talks with the French Education Ministry with the aim of adding an IP module in the citizenship course taught in French schoolsrdquo
A year of studies - the impact of the Observatoryrsquos reporting work
07
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The European Police College (CEPOL) is an EU agency dedicated to training police officers and in particular to strengthening the capacity of European law enforecement agencies to respond to evolving threats focusing on those with a European or cross border dimension The Director of CEPOL Dr Ferenc Baacutenfi kindly took time out to answer some questions for the Observatory Newsletter
How would you like to expand collaboration with OHIM in the future (in view of for example the successful CEPOL-OHIM training session which took place in September 2015)Following the implementation of our first joint activity it is my intention to build on the success already achieved Last month I agreed with the OHIM President that we further enhance our collaborative efforts by constructing a unique educational platform addressing the existing knowledge gap in the
European law enforcement structures with regard to the enforcement of intellectual property CEPOL and OHIM aim to launch a long-lasting joint project in close cooperation with other key European players such as Europol the European Judicial Training Network Eurojust DG Taxud DG Home and the Customs Cooperation Working Party in order to guarantee that customs police and judicial officers are armed with improved skills to deal with the different forms of IPR infringements
Has CEPOL been envisaging an increase in training programmes on IP-related mattersYes I am ambitious to make major progress in this area during the coming years I would like to highlight the fact that from next year the life of the European Police College will change significantly as our Agency`s mandate will be expanded to provide trainings for the EU customs organizations As a consequence of this long awaited decision CEPOLrsquos training portfolio
Interview
08
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
will increasingly address customs law enforcement issues including crime against intellectual property In terms of counterfeiting and piracy traditional face to face courses modern e-learning tools and a flexible law enforcement officer exchange programme will be offered to the European law enforcement community I envisage a strong European training need in the field and a high degree of interconnectivity with other serious crimes such as cybercrime and financial crime Due to the fact that a large part of IP infringements
are connected to online commerce we plan to hold specialised activities on digital investigation techniques addressing the threats prevailing on open websites and also on the infamous darknet Crime on intellectual property is a profit-oriented activity therefore our related training activities always share best practices on how organised crime groups can be deprived of the proceeds of IP infringements thanks to financial investigations and asset recovery measures Protection of the legal supply chain cooperation with the private sector best investigative practices international police and judicial cooperation are equally crucial subjects that are and will be discussed during CEPOL-OHIM training events
What benefits do you see arising from collaboration and cooperation with OHIM and other EU agencies like Europol and EurojustNowadays when technological development and expanding online commerce facilitate counterfeiting
Interview
09
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
and piracy at an unprecedented level it is paramount that integrated multidisciplinary trainings are provided for all stakeholders active in the enforcement of intellectual property Horizontal coordination between rights owners law enforcement officers judicial and other state officials is vital they must sit at the same table so to speak exchanging experience and building mutually profitable practical cooperation It is my firm belief that no single organization or agency has a capability to efficiently tackle this complex crime phenomenon We must act in partnership with each other sharing our knowledge expertise and network for the benefit of the legitimate business and EU citizens Cooperation with OHIM and other strategic players brings all the knowledge together and where the knowledge is combined a solution is found
Interview
10
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
There are not many places in the world where you will find a Maltese and an Icelander chatting about counterfeit designs protected by design law and copyright but the joint OHIMEuropolEurojust seminar held in Alicante in November was one of them
Apart from the difference in temperature in their respective jurisdictions of course the two enforcement professionals face similar challenges in their day to day jobs That is something that all their colleagues from the EU and beyond who gathered for the knowledge and awareness building conference have in common
Improving exchange of information and promoting best practices however has been part of the Observatoryrsquos DNA even before its transfer to OHIM in 2012 Since then it has made great strides not least in the area of knowledge building and training for both EU and non-EU enforcement professionals
As a department within OHIM the Observatory works more and more with partners like Europol Eurojust CEPOL and national level police forces like the Guardia di Finanza in Italy as it continues to roll out targeted strategic training and awareness raising events which bring results
ldquoWe have evidence of a greater increase in networking among the delegatesrdquo says Giorgio Sincovich Senior
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
11
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
IP Crime Expert at Europol ldquonot just within one law enforcement agency but among agencies We also see more networking done horizontally among other actors prosecutors and the private sector And this increases operational resultsrdquo
Each event is carefully constructed to bring the most value to delegates maximising the expertise available
at OHIM and through the wider Observatory network of stakeholders experts and hands-on enforcement professionals
Topics are chosen to be relevant and of the most use and are designed to increase knowledge and awareness in key areas where IP and enforcement intersect
Additonally the scope of the training offered is broad bringing in many actors in the enforcement chain customs officers police officers prosecutors judges and the private sector too
The impact of all this work is being felt on the ground George Agius Head of Unit Malta Customs IP Enforcement Division has been attending these knowlege building events since they began He is convinced of their value ndash not just to him but to his colleagues back home in Malta too - who benefit from his experience at every seminar when he returns
12
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
ldquoToday I am learning about copyright and designrdquo he says ldquoThe main IP concept we deal in customs with is trade marks But certain designs and copyrights are also registered as trade marks as wellrdquo
George Agius sees the benefits of the knowledge-building events spreading through the enforcement community in Malta
ldquoOHIM always brings people to these events that have real knowledge and experience and I disseminate the knowledge that I learn hererdquo he says
He stresses that dissemination takes place formally - through his own role - and informally through colleagues seeking advice and support on IP issues
ldquoI am the central point for IP customs issues in Maltardquo he points out ldquoand I help colleagues from other authorities who come to me like the police and colleagues from the IP office Malta is a small island so we are all connected When I go home and if certain cases arise and I have a question about them I just send an email to OHIM and I get a reply containing a technical and professional answerrdquo
George Agiusrsquos experience bears out Giorgio Sincovichrsquos belief that what is learned at awareness raising events carries forward on the ground after the event is over
He underlines the carry-forward of events like these as enforcement professionals continue to gather for the continually evolving and closely programme of
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
13
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
targeted seminars and knowledge-building events offered by OHIM
ldquoIn the long term we can expect more and more tangible results not just in terms of operations but also in terms of policy in terms of raising awarenessrdquo he stresses
And as events continue and participants return organisers can easily see the benefits of what is being taught at Observatory level This enables them to track the impact of the capacity building activities over years not months
The awareness raising and training events are set to continue through 2016 and beyond Each one builds on the lessons learned from the last in order to provide delegates with the best possible learning experience possible
As a result of all this work networks are formed built and strengthened
Whether they are formal or informal they add value to the daily work of enforcement professionals all across the EU and beyond as they lead the front-line fight against IP infringements
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
14
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Knowledge Building at OHIM 2012-2016
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake and Illegal Pesticidesrdquo (26-28 September 2012)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Pharmaceutical Productsrdquo (26-28 June 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Automotive Parts and Household Appliancesrdquo (4-6 November 2013)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoIntellectual Property Crime in Sportsrdquo (26-28 March 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Intellectual Property Rights on the Internetrdquo (5-7 November 2014)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoCounterfeit Cosmetics Perfumes and Luxury Goodsrdquo (3-5 June 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoInfringements of Designs Protected by Design Law and Copyrightrdquo (18-20 November 2015)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Food and Agricultural Productsrdquo (16-18 March 2016)
Knowledge Building Seminar on ldquoFake Toys and Pirated Video Gamesrdquo (9-11 November 2016)
Increasing knowledge - capacity building at the Observatory
15
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
Observatory Plenary 2015The fourth Observatory Plenary meeting took place in Alicante on October 21 and 22 with a more interactive and participative format than before
Public and private stakeholders the Luxembourg Presidency civil society European Commission representatives Advisory Board members and two MEPs Mr Jean Marie Cavada and Ms Julia Reda all participated actively in the debate
This year more time was given for discussion and the agenda was grouped around the themes of Consumers Businesses IP and young people and Infringement
Each themed discussion concluded with a summing up of the most important elements that should be considered in the Observatoryrsquos 2016 work
programme and beyond The work programme had been previously shared with all stakeholders for comments thus gathering differing views in a highly inclusive process
During the Consumers panel delegates were briefed on the findings of two Observatory reports (IP perception study and IP Youth Scoreboard) which showed that consumers especially the younger ones generally prefer to obtain content legally Barriers for them are the lack of availability of legal offers and also lack of legal certainty
There was a lively debate on the findings with participants sharing their views and experiences All agreed that efforts should be continued to provide attractive available legal offers
The Observatory showed three projects aimed at helping consumers find legal offers and informing on what is legal and what is not in terms of copyright law
Observatory meetings
16
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
The projects are Test Case Music European Aggregator of Legal Offers and FAQ on Copyright
The panel on businesses discussed two Observatory reports (the second phase of the IP contribution study and the forthcoming IP SME Scoreboard) which showed that 9 of SMEs use registered IPR
Innovative SMEs not using IP rights state that they do not know enough about the IP registration system Participants agreed that educating SMEs is paramount and noted that attention should be paid to the trade secrets and non-registered rights which are very popular among SMEs
On the panel dealing with IP and youth delegates heard that younger generations question IP more than other age groups
Delegates discussed initiatives like the Ideas Powered the IP and education report which analyses how IP is taught in European schools and outside the
EU and the financial grant that was concluded providing financial support for Member State-level communication campaigns aimed at young people
All agreed that efforts should continue to raise respect of IP among young people through the most suitable communication channels for this age group
On the infringement panel the Observatory presented highlights of the Europol-OHIM Situation Report on Counterfeiting in the EU which maps
Observatory meetings
17
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
criminal organisations involvement in commercial scale counterfeiting
The voluntary collaboration report the OECD-OHIM report on the scale of counterfeiting and three sectorial reports were also presented as well as an update on the Infringing Business Models Report which assesses business models which are being used to infringe online Participants agreed that coordinated action and collaboration is crucial for further work in the area of IP infringements
To make sure the discussion and debate was shared as widely as possible the Plenary delegates live tweeted using the hashtag Obsplenary A live Twitter feed was placed in the conference room so delegates could keep up with the response to tweets on social media
Observatory meetings
18
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
15 Member States now reporting in ACIST on internal market detentionsOver the past three months France Croatia Greece Latvia and Finland have begun to report internal market detention data to the Anti-Counterfeiting Intelligence Support Tool (ACIST) tool taking the total number of Member States participating up to 15
ACIST is the European Union database that gathers statistics on detentions at borders and in the internal market Data on border detentions already exist for all Member States but the picture is being complemented in the different Member States with the situation inside their borders
Some authorities like the Belgian FPS Economy the Danish State Prosecutorrsquos Office for Serious economic and International Crime and the Department of Customs amp Excise of the Republic of Cyprus report
their seizures directly through the tool This allows them to use its exporting and reporting services for their own internal purposes But the tool also permits a bulk upload and validation of data
The EU Observatory is co-operating with the European Union enforcement authorities to establish best practices with regard to data collection and to further
News
19
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
develop the tool ACIST is free to use and available through tmdnorg the online home of the European Trade Mark and Design Network
Regional Seminar - Hungary A regional seminar for enforcement authorities took place from 11 to 13 November in Budapest Hungary It was the first regional seminar for the Eastern European region and is co-organised by the OHIM through its Observatory together with the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office as hosts
Enforcers from a selection of EU Member States attended the seminar as well as a number of representatives from the private sector and other EU institutions and international bodies Vis Probandi OLAF and Eurojust
The Observatory regional seminars are intended to facilitate networking among the delegates and to
raise awareness on the ongoing activities in specific regions
Judgesrsquo Symposium at OHIMOn November 5-9 the 9th Judgesrsquo Symposium took place at OHIM
The Symposium organised by the Observatory provides national judges and prosecutors who deal with criminal aspects of intellectual property rights a platform to network with other European colleagues and discuss practical issues related to various topics
The Symposium is a regular feature on the OHIM calendar taking place every two years bringing together specialist IP judges and prosecutors from across the EU as well as judges from the European Court of Justice
News
20
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
SlovakiaInterdepartmental Commission for the Coordination of Cooperation against Counterfeiting and Piracy MeetingThe eighth meeting of the Interdepartmental Commission for the coordination of cooperation in the fight against counterfeiting and piracy (IC) was held in Banskaacute Bystrica Slovakia on 22 September
The main purpose of the meeting was the specialization of courts in the field of intellectual property ahead of the introduction of the Civil Disputes Code which takes effect from 1 July 2016
The important reform of causal jurisdiction brought about by the legislation will have a significant impact on the operation of the courts concerned and its mastery requires increased attention and preparation by all stakeholders
The meeting was held at the initiative of the President of the Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Slovakia Mr Ľuboš Knoth
The NetherlandsEYE Film Museum in Orphan Works DatabaseThe EYE Film Museum from Amsterdam has submitted its first dataset into the Orphan Works Database
The museum is also one of 11 film archives in the EU taking part in the FORWARD project which aims at setting up an EU-wide system to assess the rights status of audiovisual works
New European legislation led to an exception in the Dutch Copyright Act which allows orphan works to be digitised and made public under certain conditions
This means that EYE Film Museum can legitimately re-use movies under the ldquoorphanrdquo status provided an active and
Stakeholder news
21
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
diligent search has been conducted This search will be facilitated by the FORWARD programme
While FORWARD aims at setting up an EU-wide system for assessing the rights status of audiovisual works OHIM under Article 3(6) of the Directive 201228EU is responsible for the establishment and management of a single publicly accessible online database on orphan works
To bridge FORWARD and OHIM EYE Film Museum
recently submitted its first dataset to the OHIM Orphan Works Database
The EYE Film Museum dataset included 720 audio-visual works that were steadily uploaded to the database
EYE FilmMuseum noted that the system workflow speed and user-friendliness were excellent and that the connection with the Dutch National Authority (Cultural Heritage Agency Ministry of Education Culture and Science of The Netherlands) was optimal
The ability to build cross queries in an easy and intuitive manner was also appreciated
Recently the second bulk upload of data was performed increasing the total amount of records from EYE Film Museum to 780 The EYE Film Museum is currently the biggest user of the Orphan Works Database setting an example of good practice for other organisations
Stakeholder news
22
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
Stakeholder news
23
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
HungaryThe Hungarian National Board Against Counterfeiting at the VOLT FestivalAfter last yearrsquos Sziget Festival and the success at the Valley of Arts festival the audience at this yearrsquos VOLT festival was captivated by the rsquoNO BSrsquo tent hosted by the National Board Against Counterfeiting of Hungary (NBAC)
The VOLT festival is one of the highlights of the European summer festival calendar and is held every year near the city of Sopron on the Hungarian-Austrian border This year marked its 23rd edition with more than 123000
attending this year over a four and a half day periodMany festival goers took the opportunity to stop by the NBAC booth where the message against counterfeiting was being given via a series of interactive games talks and hands-on demonstrations
The exhibition of a range of counterfeited products drew interest from the festivalgoers
Also appreciated by those who attended was the range of interactive games which provided insight into the joint activities of NTCA (the National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary) the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the National Board Against Counterfeiting
In front of the tent there was a rsquoselfie-wallrsquo which proved extremely popular with camera-phone wielding visitors
From there it was just one step to a large variety of exhibits and games helping to understand the depth of counterfeiting and intellectual property in the world
On the ldquotouch and feelrdquo display table fake objects could be examined so that festival goers could experience at first hand what fake products look like and how to distinguish them from real ones
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Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
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Events
25
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A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
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A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
January 14Coordination Group on Infringements of IP Rights
Brussels Belgium
February 23-24Judgesrsquo Seminar assessment of weak trade marks
Alicante Spain
February 25-26Seminar on IP Enforcement (OHIMDG TAXUD)
Alicante Spain
March 1-3Observatory Working Group Meetings
Alicante Spain
Events
24
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25
Navigation
A year of studiesCover Story
Increasing knowledgeIn Depth
Full reports on Observatory meetingsObservatory meetings
IP and Enforcement newsNews
Stakeholder roundupStakeholder news
A round up of whatrsquos coming upEvents
The in depth interview of the editionInterview
December
2015
March 16-18Eurojust-Europol-OHIM knowledge building conference
Alicante Spain
April 19-21Observatory Public Sector meeting amp conference
The Netherlands
May 4-5Judgesrsquo Seminar on confiscation of proceeds of crime in IPR
Alicante Spain
September 28-29Observatory Plenary Meeting
Alicante Spain
Events
25